Soap-retainer for washboards.



No 797,795. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905. J. DEER,

SOAP RETAINER FOR WASHBOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 190

WITNESSES: INVENTOR. 9 M

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. 'NITE ST JONAH DEER,

OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

SOAP-RETAINER FOR WASHBOARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug". 22, 1905.

Application filed November 2,1904. Serial No. 231,147.

To all whovn it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ONAlI Dunn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soap-Retainers for iVashboards; and 1, do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked. thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means employed in connection with washboards for rigidly retaining one or more bars of soap in proximity to the scrubbing'surface of such boards, whereby the clothes may be soaped simultaneously with the scrubbing operation; and it has for its object the provision of means of the class described that is simple and cheap in its construction, capable of being adjusted as the width of the soap may require, and when adjusted rigidly locked against movement with respect to the soap.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in whicl Figure 1 is a front elevation of a washboard embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the upper portion thereof shown in vertical section, and Fig. 3 is a detail of the locking parts of my invention with the clamping-bar shown in crosssection.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the uprights or standards, B the shield for protecting the operator, and O the scrubbingsurface of a washboard of the ordinary type.

Secured to the transverse piece a at the head of the scrubbing-surface of the board and extending the width thereof is the fixed transverse bar or clamping-strip b, which is provided with the spaced flanges b and 7), extending longitudinally of the board and toward the upper end thereof. The rear flange Z) is made of greater width than the forward flange 7), as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose hereinafter described. Movably mounted within the elongated slots 0, provided longitudinally of the inner faces of the uprights or standards A, is a second transversely-disposed bar or clamping-strip d, which is adapted to be moved toward or away from the clamping-strip b in parallel position therewith. Formedon the strip (1 are the two flanges (Z and (2, corresponding in width to the flanges 7) and b respectively, and disposed in the same plane therewith, as shown in Fig. 2. The strip (Z is shown as being provided with the laterally-extending portions 0 and f, disposed at a right angle to each other, the former of which has its ends prolonged beyond the ends of the flanges d and (Z to form tongues for projecting within the guiding grooves or slots (2, formed in theuprights A. The bars or clamping-strips 7) and (Z are each preferably stamped from a single piece of sheet metal bent in the required shape, thus making them cheap to manufacture and rigid and durable in construction.

Pivoted to the inner side of each upright A at the head of the scrubbing-surface C is a rack g, which has its major portion slightly offset from its fulcrum-point and provided with notches at its lower or rear edge of a size sufficient to receive the thickness of the portion on the bar or strip (Z, thus enabling said strip to be locked in adjusted position. A lip or projection 57' is formed at the free end of the rack g to provide a thumb-piece for the operator.

The operation and manner of using my improved soap-retaining apparatus are as follows: As the thickness of a fresh bar of soap is approximately equal to the depth from the plane of the scrubbing-surface to the shield or backing-plate B of a washboard, the bar when.

first used is placed between the bars or strips 7) and (Z with the lower or rear surface thereof resting upon the backing-plate B and the movable clamping-strip (Z then moved down to cause the bar of soap to be firmly clamped between said strips and locked against a receding movement by the engaging of the rack 57 with the portion f of the strip (Z. As the surface of the soap becomes worn down by the scrubbing operation it is released from its original position just described and raised, so that its under surface is permitted to rest upon the lower widened flanges Z) and (Z of the strips 7) and (Z, thus bringing it in position to have its sides engaged by the narrow grippingflanges Z) and (Z of said strips when the movable strip (Z is again adjusted to tightly grip the soap. It will thus be apparent that the strips [1 and (Z form a support, as well as a clamping means, for the bars of soap when they have become worn to a degree necessitating the raising thereof from their seat upon the backing-plate B. This enables a bar of soap to be rigidly supported at all times without necessitating the tightly clamping thereof to withstand the pressure exerted thereon during the soaping of the clothes.

It is obvious that such changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction of the parts as fairly fall within the scope of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a washboard, a fixed soap-clamping member, a companion clamping member movably mounted in advance of the fixed member, and a rack pivoted to each upright of the washboard and adapted to engage and lock the movable clamping member against movement.

2. In a washboard, a fixed clamping member disposed at the head of the scrubbing-surface of the board and having two spaced flanges of varying width, a companion clamping member movable toward and away from the fixed member and having flanges corresponding to and in a plane with the flanges Ways therein, a scrubbing-surface and a shield or backing-plate, of a fixed clamping member secured at the head of the scrubbing-surface between the uprights, a companion clamping member movable in the slots or grooved ways in the uprights in advance of said fixed member, two flanges of varying width projecting from each clamping member toward the companion clamping member in planes parallel to the backing-plate of the washboard, and means for locking the pivoted member in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JONAH DERR.

Witnesses:

C. WV. OWEN, MARY I. SHAY. 

